(WKBN) – Some areas in Northeast Ohio and Pennsylvania spotted what looked like pillars of beaming light from the ground early Saturday morning, when temperatures were very cold.

It may look like an alien invasion, but in reality, light pillars are a common effect that can be found all over the world, according to Owlie’s Weird Weather.

They do come from above though – tiny crystals of ice hanging in the atmosphere – not from aliens.

Owlie says that since ice is very thin and shaped like plates with hexagonal faces, when it drifts down through the air, it falls horizontally. Ice is also very reflective, so when light hits those wider faces, it bounces around and reflects off more ice crystals.

These vertically stacked floating mirrors beam up light from the surrounding area toward the sky, forming a light pillar.

Any strong light source – the sun, moon, cities, street lights – will do.